1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to motor vehicle sensors, and more particularly, to a dual temperature sensor for an engine that can measure both the temperature of the engine coolant and the temperature of the engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Normally, an internal combustion engine operates within a temperature range of between 200° F. and 250° F. If the temperature of the engine increases beyond 250° F. significant damage to the engine can result, up to and including the destruction of the engine. As such, to prevent an engine from overheating, engine coolant is pumped through an engine's cooling jackets, which are typically positioned alongside the engine. To determine the temperature of the engine, a coolant sensor is used to measure the temperature of the engine coolant within the engine. The temperature of the engine coolant can, in turn, be used to determine the temperature of a car engine.
Since the typical coolant sensors rely solely on the temperature of the coolant to measure the temperature of the engine, they can be rendered ineffective if, for example, there is a leak in the radiator or the radiator hoses that causes the engine coolant to drain from the engine. If the coolant escapes from the engine due to a leak, the only temperature that can be measured will be that of the ambient air instead of the temperature of the engine coolant. Therefore, it would impossible to determine whether an engine is overheating.
Thus, a dual temperature sensor for an engine solving the aforementioned problems is desired.